(first posted March, 2018)

When my dad could no longer manage his three-bedroomed house, he moved, as many do, to a modest bungalow. At the back was a postage stamp of a lawn bounded by an ancient high wall that sheltered masses of snowdrops. For thirteen Februaries, he delighted in the sweeping drifts of brilliant white flowers that danced defiantly in the winter winds as they lived into yet another year.

But he was also troubled by them … (read full-length post on Blogger)

This book tells the story of the making of the film and how it changed the lives of all who participated, both during and after. The author sought out and interviewed just about everyone involved, including production staff and those who had minor parts such as the girl who delivered the reading in school assembly and the boy who was unjustly caned by the headmaster. In other words, although fascinating, it tells you far more than you could ever want to know. (read full length post on Blogger)

This ‘memoir’ started as a kind of autobiographical attempt to understand how things changed during my time and how I got to where I am, a record for posterity in the forlorn and vainglorious misbelief that someone might one day be interested. I hope it is not too tedious to return to this idea now and again.

One thing I wonder about is how I fell into such an agreeable career in computing and universities after badly messing up three previous chances. Fortunately, for post-war baby boomers, chopping and changing was easier than for any other generation before or since.

At twenty-four I was in a run-down shared house and ordinary office job, a lowly clerk with a Leeds clothing manufacturer … (read full-length post on Blogger)

Our washing machine has been very temperamental of late. Driving us mad! It would be fine for a few weeks and then decide to go on the blink and refuse to progress more than a couple of minutes into its cycle. It could take half an hour or more to get it going. It would then do the same the next time. Then, after a few days, it would decide to behave itself for a while.

You never had such problems with a dolly tub … (read full post on Blogger)

I’d never get scammed. Not me: M.Sc. in computing, software writer, programming teacher, systems consultant, researcher, lecturer, forty years computer experience. I even wrote articles for so-called learned journals. Scammed? Me? Never!

A month ago I bought something from Amazon … and before I knew, I’d signed up to Amazon Prime. (read full post on Blogger)

We were working out at a small Vauxhall dealership in Selby. The owner thought Vauxhalls wonderful. He said to watch out for the new Vauxhall advert on television that evening. It was going to be incredible.

The following morning he was seething (read full post on Blogger)

A couple of years ago I posted two picture puzzles from my dad’s 1927 copy of the wonderful Arthur Mee’s Children’s Encyclopedia: What Is Wrong In This Room? and What Is Wrong With This Steamer?  Nineteen-twenties children must have been much cleverer than us or our world has changed more than we imagine. Either way, I did incredibly badly. I’ve searched out another set to attempt to redeem myself. Here are the first three of fifteen. Answers and more pictures on Blogger